Seattle: Are We Road Ragers?

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If you think we’re bad road ragers here in the beautiful Northwest, then you need to do some traveling, especially to the East coast. Those folks are crazy. Am I making this up? No. I’ve seen it in person and now, to back up my personal observations, a big nationwide road rage survey was conducted by the folks at AutoVantage. They sent us their results, in anticipation of getting some press.

What kind of behaviors constitute road rage according to this survey? Honking your horn, cursing at another driver, making obscene gestures at another driver (flipping the bird), and waving of the arms or fists at another driver.

Before we talk about how sweet Seattle folk are, let’s see who the worst offenders are when it comes to losing one’s tempers while behind the wheel.

1. Houston, Texas. (It is hot there and everyone lives under the city – that would make anyone angry)

And now for the nicest drivers: (and I have nothing witty to say about these cities…)

1. Portland, OR

2. Pittsburgh, PA

3. St Louis, MO

4. San Francisco, CA

5. Charlotte, NC

oops, where are we?

7. Seattle! (Not the top 5, but close.)

When compared to drivers in other cities, Seattle-ites are:

· 2nd least likely to have honked their horn at another driver
· 3rd least likely to have observed other drivers running a red light

We actually improved over the past 5 years, too, when were ranked 10th amongst the friendliest. So, do like I do, and repress, repress, repress those angry feelings on the road. As my sister says, ‘Lee, don’t flip anyone off! You never know who will come after you if you do that.” Roger that!